semel

Semel is a term that appears in different languages with distinct meanings. In Classical Latin, semel is an adverb meaning "once" or "one time," used to indicate that an action or event occurs a single time. It is found in scholarly Latin texts and in the construction of phrases describing single-occurrence events. The word serves as the root of several biological terms, notably semelparous, which describes organisms that reproduce only once before death; in contrast, iteroparous organisms reproduce multiple times across their lifespan.

In Modern Hebrew, semel (סמל) means symbol, emblem, or sign. It is used routinely in education, signage, and discussions of symbols and representations. The Hebrew term is unrelated to the Latin adverb beyond sharing an identical transliteration into Latin script.

Etymologically, semel in Latin derives from Proto-Italic roots associated with the notion of a single occurrence, whereas the Hebrew semel is a native Hebrew word built on the consonant root ס-מ-ל, meaning symbol or sign.

Outside linguistic contexts, semel can appear as a surname in some communities, reflecting a practice where words from different languages become proper names. Overall, semel demonstrates how a single spelling can carry distinct meanings across languages, from grammar to biology to everyday language.